Betrayal
by jibber59
Summary: The truth of the matter is, the truth hurts. (Warning for outbursts of adult language) My 20th Mag 7 story!
1. Chapter 1

"Ezra." Chris looked at his undercover agent with an ice-cold emotionless glare. "Tell me they're wrong. Tell me they're lying."

No external reaction could be seen, but inside, Ezra died just a little bit. Given that he hadn't been surprised by the response, it was easier than it should have been to remain neutral. He hadn't just known what the reaction would be, he'd predicted it word for word. Exactly. He'd even heard the tone in his head long before the words were spoken. It would have taken so little to change all of this. To change everything. But he'd known all along that such was not his world.

He turned on his most disingenuous smile, the one he used on all his marks at that moment he let them know they'd been had.

"Why Mr. Larabee – why ever would I do such a thing? The veracity of their claims is clearly not in doubt."

Chris felt his blood chill as he continued to glare at the man he had, up to that moment, considered as a friend. Before he could find his voice, Vin entered the conversation.

"You're telling us that all this time everybody was right about you? The FBI, the cops, hell – half the ATF was right? You've been on the take this whole time? You sorry son of a bitch!"

"It astonishes me that you are all so surprised by the leveling of these accusations. Really gentlemen. You know my background. You've met my mother. You have witnessed on multiple occasions my manipulation of some of the smartest criminals the underworld has to offer. Why then are you so shocked when confronted with the notion that I have been playing you, all of you, right from the commencement of our relationship?"

Chris stood, but was blocked by Judge Travis. Looking at the older man, Chris could see the disappointment on his face, in his eyes. He had no doubt the same look was mirrored in his expression.

"Don't even think about it Larabee. As much as I am sure you feel you have just cause to lay him out, if you hit Standish you'll be on suspension too. Same goes for you Tanner. I do not need any more trouble right now."

He turned to look at the man who was clearly the centre of attention. "Think you best be getting out of here before I change my mind about holding them back."

"I suppose it would be futile to suggest I return to the office to retrieve a few items of a personal nature that have been left there. Yes, I suspected as much. Well, nothing there is irreplaceable."

"That go for friendships too?" Vin was almost trembling trying to restrain himself from moving forward. His jaw ached from being clenched.

"I wouldn't know Mr. Tanner, as I have never had any. I assume you gentlemen will inform the others of my altered status? Update them on the current situation?"

"Seriously Standish?" Chris looked ready to push past the judge to get his target. "That's what you call this – a 'situation'.

"Circumstance? Condition? Standing? I assume I am free to depart?"

"Hell, no."

"Yes, he is Larabee. At this time, we have no intention of pressing charges, but as there is an ongoing investigation underway," Travis turned to face Ezra, "you are on suspension. I'll take your gun and badge before you leave."

"Suspension with pay I assume," he asked, handing the items over. The judge growled a positive response. "Very well then. Good day gentlemen." Ezra saluted his farewell as he headed out.

Silence engulfed the room for several minutes. Chris finally raised his head to look at Ezra's accusers. In addition to the Judge, a federal prosecutor and the deputy regional ATF director sat in the room. The judge's assistant sat quietly in the corner taking minutes of the debacle.

The case against Ezra had been laid out in broad terms. Details, they indicated, were being withheld pending the outcome of the full investigation. Ezra had been offered legal counsel and union representation, but had shrugged both off.

Chris had watched him as the facts were laid out. He'd been stone still, his well-honed poker face in full use. There was no hint of anger, sorrow, remorse or repentance. He'd looked each man in the eye as they voiced the accusations. His focus actually had them averting their eyes as he sat in eerie calmness.

With a deep sigh, Chris found his voice and spoke again. "Who's heading up the investigation on all this?"

"Internal affairs is working with my office on this."

"Sorry – don't think I caught your name?" Chris turned to the prosecutor.

"Braverman."

"Tell me Mr. Braverman – are we all being investigated?"

"No Mr. Larabee. You and your team are not under any scrutiny. We've got no grounds to suspect that any of you have been involved, or have had any awareness of what was going on with Standish. His questionable actions date back to long before he was with the ATF. We're working with the FBI as well, reviewing the indictment they had against him."

"No indictment." Vin corrected. "That never came to anything."

Chris reluctantly agreed. "I read the file. Innuendo, rumor and a lot of sour grapes. Came down to a lot of people leaping to a conclusion based on nothing but hearsay." He saw Judge Travis staring at him, undoubtedly surprised that he would appear to be coming to Ezra's defense. "Guess maybe there was more there then met the eye."

Braverman nodded. "True – he's always been a slippery bastard. In light of the new information, we're reviewing everything we have available."

"What started all this?" Vin wondered aloud. "Informant?"

"That, along with surveillance audio. We have the beginnings of a paper trail, but it's pretty spotty. Man isn't stupid – I'll give him that."

Chris looked to the judge, avoiding any eye contact with ATF AD Cavanaugh. "You've seen this evidence?"

"I'm aware of the details."

"He conned all of us Larabee." Cavanaugh spoke for the first time. "I took him on despite the questions because he was just so damned good at his job. He's a chameleon, and can make anybody believe just about anything. Never been one to let reality get in the way of the job at hand. That's the skill that let him pull this off. But inevitably, these things come to an end. It is just a matter of time until we can have the bastard arrested and show everyone what happens when you piss off the ATF. He won't be getting away again."

7-7-7-7-7-7-7

Vin stood with his back to the room, staring out the window but seeing nothing. The tension was clear in his twitching neck muscles. That feeling radiated through the room, creating a deep feeling of apprehension. Chris had called all hands to the office and, with only a moderate amount of grumbling, the team gathered, with Josiah being the last to arrive.

"OK," he took a calming breath before starting. Even with time to prepare he hadn't figured out a way to say this without sending the team into a tailspin. "Now that we're all here –"

"What do you mean all here? Look around Chris. Notice anyone missing?"

"Yeah Buck I do, and that what this is about."

"Ezra hurt?" JD leapt to the logical conclusion. The undercover operative did have a unique ability to attract trouble, and Lord knows he had a long list of people willing to do him harm. The list was about to get longer.

"He's fine JD. Well, he's not hurt anyway." Not yet.

"Then there is some kind of trouble?" Josiah asked.

"Look, everybody. Just stay quiet for 2 minutes and you'll get your answers." The team exchanged nervous glances. Ezra absent and Chris pissed. This was not a good combination.

"As of 3:30 this afternoon Ezra Standish is no longer part of our team. He is on full suspension from the ATF pending completions of an ongoing investigation into allegations of gross misconduct. That includes taking bribes, disclosing classified information and conspiring with known criminals."

There was 10 seconds of silence before the room exploded. Chris let them all vent for a bit before signalling a halt.

"In no particular order, here are the answers: Yes Buck, this is serious. He'd got feds, the attorney general's office, IA and God knows who else going through every part of his personal life. No, they haven't charged him yet, but that's only a matter of time. Yes Josiah, they've got evidence. According to the judge, lots of it.

And to answer you JD – No, Ezra didn't deny any of it. Basically, all he had to say was that he was surprised to have gotten away with it for this long."

"He confessed." The young man looked shell-shocked. They all did.

"He's not stupid enough to come out and confess, but he left no doubt with anyone there about where he stood."

Buck couldn't wrap his mind around all of this. "All this time? He's been lying to us all this time. Shit, you were right all along Nathan. You never completely trusted him and I guess you had it right."

"No, I didn't trust him at first. But I ended up being taken in just like the rest of you. He convinced me he was the real deal. Son of a bitch. He got me to the point I didn't want to be right."

"We know Nathan." Chris looked away for a moment as everyone took time to catch up. "Look guys, I get it. This is a lot to take in. I'm numb myself. What you need to know is that Cavanaugh assures me we are not under suspicion. For now, we carry on business as usual."

Buck was snarling. "You know every case we ever worked is going to be appealed. Every job we did is tainted thanks to that bastard. All that work down the crapper."

"And no matter what Cavanaugh says we're all gonna look like we've been part of it."

Vin finally turned and spoke. "Don't think so Nathan. We had an established record in place before he showed up. That'll help balance things out for us. Still, we're going to need to review everything he's been involved in to be sure where we stand."

"Well we're not starting that now. Tonight, we are getting out of here. We'll go have some dinner, some beer-"

"Lots of beer." Buck interrupted.

"- **some** beer. And everything else will keep until tomorrow."

Ezra stood in the shadows across from the office, watching his six former colleagues leave the building. There was no need to be an expert at body language to read the mood, and the sensation of guilt was overwhelming to him. He knew exactly where they were heading, exactly what the plan for the evening would be. Well, would have been if things hadn't gone to hell this afternoon. The instinct to follow was almost irresistible. They were headed to "their place", Inez's Tavern, where they regularly unwound after a long day. There would be a pitcher of beer at the table the minute the staff heard them coming in. And a glass of brandy at his seat. A glass that, tonight, would be untouched.

He began the slow walk to where he'd parked, well away from the sight of anyone he might know. He couldn't help but let his mind wander back to all the times he had been on his own in his life, and realized that never, in all that experience, had he felt so alone, so lonely. Nothing could change that now. No miracle intervention, no startling revelations would change the simple reality that today had exposed.

Even lost to his thoughts and regrets, he hadn't missed the approach of a vehicle from behind. It slowed as it got closer. He turned to confront the driver, realizing a moment too late that the gun he was ready to reach for was no longer there. Not that he was unarmed, but the reflex reminded him of all that had changed. He waited as the rear window slowly slid down.

"Good evening Mr. Standish. It is Mr. now, is it not? My understanding is that Agent is no longer the appropriate term."

"Your sources are, as always, impeccable Mr. Chiarelli. I presume your presence in this neighbourhood is more than mere coincidence."

"I get around. Now, while it is a lovely evening for a stroll, I was wondering if you might prefer the comfort of my limo for a short ride?"

"Associating with someone of your background will not be favourable to my reputation."

"After today, wouldn't you say that ship has sailed? Come, join me for a drink. One never knows where things might lead. I do promise to have you safely home before bed time, if that is your concern."

"I fail to see what value I can be to you, given my recent falling out with the ATF. Clearly I am no longer in a position to offer you any access or favours."

"Don't need you for that. I have my sources. How do you think I discovered so quickly that your services are available? No, Mr. Standish. What you have to offer is still of great value to me. You have unique skills that were being wasted on the respectable side of the law. I would very much like to take advantage of them, and the broad base of knowledge that accompanies them. And, of course, you would be well compensated for your involvement."

"Precisely what ventures do you have in mind?"

"Oh, a myriad of opportunities await adventurous souls like us. I can tell you that it will provide you the chance to get a bit of payback against Travis, Larabee and the rest. Surely that must intrigue you at least a bit. Please, join me to discuss our options."

"Well, it would be rude of me not to at least hear you out. It does sound like an enticing offer, and as it happens, I have nothing else planned for the immediate future." Ezra smiled as he slipped into the limo.

7-7-7-7-7-7-7

The six men sat quietly at the table. The brandy had been removed, and another pitcher of beer was almost empty. Despite the mindset and the stated intention to forget the events of the day, no one had been inclined to get blind drunk. Buck was the only one on a third drink, and even that had barely been sipped.

"It isn't right." JD said for at least the tenth time. "He shouldn't have done that to us. Treated us like that. I thought he was our friend."

"Was our own fault." Nathan lamented. "We knew who he was – knew his past. Know the family story. Clearly the apple didn't fall far from the tree there."

Buck was allowing his anger to build. "He conned us just like he cons everybody. Made us think we mattered to him. Made us think he was better that he really was. Never should have believed a word out of his mouth. Shit, we knew how good a liar he was – saw it on every job he did. We were stupid."

Chris looked around at the dejected faces of his team, knowing he bore the same expression. Vin had been quiet this go around, but earlier had been unrestrained in his resentment of the betrayal he felt. They all felt. He and Ezra had connected at a different level though. Two lone wolves who had reluctantly joined a pack. Their independent natures had complimented each other perfectly, and in many ways this revelation was harder on him than any of the others.

Almost any of the others, Chris corrected himself. His gaze settled on Josiah. Senior team member, a profiler whose job was to read and understand people. He, too, had been completely taken in.

But is was more than that causing the distress tonight. From the beginning, there had been a connection between these two dramatically different men that was difficult to comprehend. Ezra, the flamboyant devil-may-care con man; Josiah, a quiet, disillusioned ex-preacher. Life of the party meets introverted sad soul. Yet the bond was there, even if no one, including them, understood why. The closest Chris had ever come to an explanation, (one he knew both men would laugh at) was an unspoken, unacknowledged need for a family connection that they somehow found in each other.

"Josiah, you've been scary quiet tonight. Don't know if you've said a dozen words since I briefed everyone. You OK?" Chris was aware of how foolish that question was.

"No, I'm not. I can't process this. It doesn't fit. Doesn't work. Something is wrong, but I'm damned if I can put my finger on it."

"What's wrong," Buck answered, "is that we were sold out by one of our own."

"Lied to and manipulated." Vin agreed.

Josiah shrugged. "Maybe. I just can't wrap my head around this. Maybe I just need to sleep on it some. See if it makes more sense in the morning."

"It's never gonna make sense." JD complained. "We trusted him and he betrayed that. How can that make sense?"

"OK – that's it. Enough for the night. Nathan, you're sober. Drive JD and Buck home. I'll take care of Josiah and Vin."

"I'm fine Chris." Josiah responded, pointing to the half full glass. "This is still my first of the night."

Getting no further arguments, the men headed out after agreeing to meet at the diner in the morning. No one was anxious to head back to the office quite yet.

7-7-7-7-7-7-7

On the other side of town, Ezra too was being dropped of at home.

"I'll make arrangements for your car to be delivered. I think you might want to consider my offer to relocate to my building Mr. Standish. I have numerous vacancies, and it will certainly make life much easier having you close at hand for future business consultations."

"I have not yet agreed to your proposal Mr. Chiarelli."

"Oh, come now Ezra – may I call you Ezra? We both know your options are more that slightly limited right now. And I am quite certain that you harbour no desire to spend time behind bars. Join up with me and I can assure you my contacts will make your troubles disappear. Or at least reduce them to a more manageable level."

"I have no doubt you have many such connections, but that will not address the main issue that remains."

"Ah yes, your colleagues. Excuse me – former colleagues. Do you truly believe they will make your life difficult?"

"You've dealt with them in the past. What do you think?"

"Yes, they do have a rather annoying sense of morality, don't they? How did you put up with it?"

"It is amazing the sacrifices one can make when the end goal is sufficiently motivating."

"Just how much of a nest egg did you build up for yourself Ezra?"

"A comfortable one should I be forced to leave the state, or the country, in a hurry. Well secured."

"Fine, keep your secrets. As I said, I will have your car delivered, and we can talk more tomorrow about our future endeavours. I have a very interesting plan in mind, and your input is essential to see it through. It will take care of our mutual annoyances."

Ezra stood on the sidewalk, watching the limo disappear from sight. He allowed a small smile to come to his face. Yes, things might just work out after all.

M7-M7-M7-M7-M7-M7-M7

 _ **tbc**_


	2. Chapter 2

The normally busy bistro perched above the downtown core was uncommonly quiet for a Monday morning. The venue had been booked for privacy by Chiarelli, and now he and Ezra occupied a table near the railing, sipping coffee and discussing plans. The only other occupants were his body guards and one waitress, who nervously watched the table from a distance.

The past few days had seen Ezra's life tuned upside down; not an unexpected result of his actions. Word had spread quickly in the law enforcement community and he was clearly unwelcome at any former haunts. His condo board had anonymously been notified of his new status, or lack of same, and they had been astonishingly quick to take steps to let him know he was no longer the sort of person who reflected well on their establishment. He debated telling them that their own hypocrisy and sanctimony was in fact a poor reflection on him, but instead elected to let them know he would take there request for him to find new accommodations under advisement. He had then contacted Chiarelli concerning the previously offered residence, and settled in there on Saturday.

The remainder of the weekend had gone more or less as he had imagined it would, with Chiarelli briefing him on the new order. Ezra was told numerous times that he would be cleared of the worst of the charges, though details were not forthcoming. The theme of the assurance seemed to be that while his career was over, his life was just beginning.

"We have a great deal to offer each other. I have contacts that will ensure we stay one step ahead of the law, and you have information that will rid us of other pesky distractions. My business sense, and your gift for reading people, for playing them. We will be unstoppable Ezra."

"I assume by distractions you are referring, at least in part, to my former associates. I am aware of your history with Larabee and the others. Granted, your dealings with them were before my time with the ATF, but only a fool would have joined the team without making himself aware of their enemies."

"And you, my friend, are no fool. Yeah, Larabee and company are the ones responsible for my earlier career – what shall we call them – setbacks."

Ezra chuckled lightly at the word. "If my research on the matter was accurate, that 'setback' meant the dismantling of your crew and multiple criminal charges that you dodged only because of hung juries and missing witnesses. Not to mention significant financial losses."

"Look around you. The building your living in now. The cars. The women. Does it look like I'm hurting?"

"It does make me wonder where you would be had they not interfered."

"Without that, I'd be running this town. This state. Hell, this part of the country. And I will be. By the time I am finished, there won't be a gun runner, drug dealer, pimp or wanna-be mobster who doesn't owe full allegiance to me. I will own DA's, judges, politicians and at least half the cops. And no little ATF hotshot and his trained monkeys are going to get in my way again. I don't care how good they think they are – I'm better!"

 _Just what I need,_ Ezra thought, _a boss with paranoid delusions of grandeur. You really stepped into it this time Standish. Oh well, not the first nutcase you've worked with, and hopefully not the last._

"I presume then you have a strategy in place to stop them from being a thorn in your side, not to mention mine. A design that involves these 'contacts' you mentioned."

"Patience Ezra. Everything will be made obvious in the days to come."

"The concern I have is that my future relies on your contacts. I don't think it is unreasonable that I have a curiosity about who they are, and exactly how they can help me. You can understand where trust is a bit of an issue for me at the moment."

"Of course. But you don't need to know anything beyond the fact that when I have completed my plans you and I will have no worries left at all."

"Your idea is that good?"

"It will be once the details are in place. That's where you come in. You know our targets far better than I do. You know their routines, their habits. You know their strengths, and more importantly, weaknesses. All of that means that you will be able to help me bring them down."

"Destroy their standing and you destroy the team? Interesting, but in this case, difficult. If association with me doesn't destroy them, what else could?"

"That's what I need to know from you. How can we exploit those weaknesses? Larabee's family tragedy. Sanchez's sister – in an asylum, right? Wilmington's assorted women. Surely there is something there that we can use to our advantage?"

Ezra stared off, not wanting to make eye contact right now. No matter what might have happened, or might happen in the future, this was not the play he had in mind. Betraying the team, the job, was one thing. But this was different. Ezra was beginning to wonder if he did in fact have a line he would not cross.

"I shall have to consider your suggestions. Perhaps reformulate our options. Those vulnerabilities might not really provide the leverage you seek."

"Don't want leverage Standish. I want to destroy them. I want Larabee broken. And I really don't much care how we do it. Talk to me. Tell me their routines and habits. The smallest detail might be all the lead I need. We can start there to figure out how to bring them down."

"You do realize you are dealing with men of character who are widely respected? Their reputations, unlike mine, will be difficult to tarnish, let alone shatter."

"The higher the pedestal, the harder the fall."

The plan Chiarelli came up with led them to this spot on this Monday morning. The view of the city was good, but the view of the ATF building was perfect. Ezra watched as the minutes ticked by, trying to ensure his face didn't reflect the internal turmoil. Monday morning, no active cases. They would be heading out soon to the DA's office to review upcoming court appearances. Given recent events, this was probably going to be a longer meeting than most. It was almost 10:00. They'd be finishing up the prep meeting and stuffing paperwork into briefing bags. Buck would be complaining about the process, Chris would be ignoring him. JD would be eager, as always, to get to the offices. Casey was working there now, and any excuse to visit with her was welcomed. The others would toss off a few comments as they headed out the door.

Exactly to schedule, they exited the building, heading for Chris's SUV. Vin veered off toward the garage. Too many for one vehicle, and without Ezra there to drive his car, Vin would go on his own in his jeep. He rarely took it from the ATF garage other than on mornings like this one. JD stopped on the sidewalk, giving Buck a frustrated look. Obviously, there was some tension going on there. All of the men seemed off their usual rhythm. JD called out to Vin, who turned and nodded, leading JD to jog over to him. The two men then headed toward the carport.

"Looks like we might be getting a two for one deal on this."

"No, Dunne will be seen as nothing more than an innocent by-stander. When the police find the stolen contraband in Tanner's car, Dunne will be able to claim ignorance and likely have it hold up. For that matter, it will be almost impossible to make any charges stick against Tanner. Open carport, open back to the jeep, a vehicle he rarely drives anymore. Far too easy to argue the product was planted. Not really a stellar opening gambit. At best, it will throw them further off their game, which I presume is the intention."

"Well, you see Ezra, I made a slight alteration to the plan after we talked. Decided that you had a good point. Planting drugs wasn't going to work. Too weak a statement. Too easy to dispute. So, I sent one of the boys back last night with a tweak to the plan. A bomb will be a whole other matter."

Ezra snapped his head around and stared. "You put a bomb in the jeep? What, you plan to make them look like some kind of terrorists? That is ludicrous! Tanner isn't even the explosives expert on the team. I know more about it than he does."

"You misunderstand my friend. The bomb won't be found. It will explode. The moment the ignition is turned. And now, two for one. That should begin the process of shattering Larabee and his magnificent team quite nicely."

"No. This is not the plan we discussed. I never agreed to anything like this. I may be many things, but I am no murderer." Ezra had barely finished the sentence when the explosion ripped out, shattering windows and sending debris flying.

He ran to the railing and saw the gaping whole in the roof of what used to be the carport. The hole was in the back corner, right where Vin left his jeep. He tore his gaze from the sight to look at the four men on sidewalk, staring mutely at the smouldering rubble. Nathan had been knocked down, but was slowly rising. Chris, furthest from the impact, was completely immobile. Buck, too, was frozen for moment but then suddenly broke from his trance and started to run toward the blast site. Josiah reached out and blocked him, struggling to keep him from running to the spot. Ezra couldn't hear them, but then he didn't need to. He knew what was being said. "It's too late. The structure collapsed. Wait for the experts. There could be another bomb." That alone made sense, at a time when nothing made sense. Nathan and Chris were now helping to restrain Buck, who finally dropped to his knees as more agents and civilians ran to the scene.

Only the sound of laughter behind him made Ezra turn away.

"Oh, this is perfect. Two dead, the others devastated. Even better than my fantasies."

Ezra fought the impulse to throw him over the railing, and jump right after. "Are you insane? Do you know what you have done?"

"What **we** have done my friend. I couldn't have accomplished this without your guidance."

"My guidance? I never guided you to this. Yes, I helped you get into the garage to plant the drugs, but I never suggested that you… My God, do you know what you've done? It isn't just that you have killed off two federal agents. That alone will have every level of law enforcement on your trail. You have pissed off Chris Larabee. Sure, right now he stands there paralyzed by the moment. But I can assure you, he will snap out of it. And when he does, you best grow eyes in the back of your head, because he will be coming for you."

"In the first place, it is for **us** Standish. You are a part of this. A part of everything I do now. It was in talking to you that this plan crystalized. Playing on his guilt. Destroying his support team. Tanner was his council, his calming voice. That is gone now. And Wilmington – hell. He'll be out of control. No sane second thoughts or voice of reason will be coming from that corner. This is perfect." He looked at the shell shocked former agent. "Relax Ezra. I know exactly what I am doing. I've been working on this plan since Larabee brought down my empire. You have just provided me with the finesse I needed to pull it together. I know this wasn't what you were thinking, but trust me – this is going to work out best for everyone."

Ezra walked back to the railing one more time, looking down. Nothing below had noticeably changed in the last minute, but everything in his world had. He longed to be down there offering what comfort and support he could, even while knowing beyond any doubt that could never happen. No, things were not going to work out for everyone. He would see to that.

M7-M7-M7-M7-M7-M7-M7

 ** _tbc_**


	3. Chapter 3

The four agents were finally able to be shepherded into a private room off the ATF lobby. They fought every effort to take them away from the site. It was only when two bodies were wheeled away that they surrendered. Guards were set up outside to keep unwelcome prying eyes away. Orders were that Judge Travis was the only exception to that rule, and now they were being locked away, waiting for his arrival. Outside had become a three ring circus with FBI, local cops, bomb techs, and of course, media, arriving on scene.

"None of this can be real Chris. First Ezra, now this. It makes no sense." Josiah spoke softly.

Chris looked out the window, shaking his head at the show going on outside. He glanced over to where the garage had stood an hour earlier. Only an hour. How could things have turned sour so quickly? He heard a door opening, but looked away again on seeing two of the same uniformed officers who had been milling around outside. He paid them little attention until one of them spoke.

"I know that building was an eyesore, but that is hardly the way demolition should work." They froze at the sound of JD's voice.

"What are you complaining about – wasn't your vehicle that got totalled." Vin spoke quietly in case anyone was close outside the door.

"Vin, that jeep was totalled long before any explosion happened. All that did was put it out of its misery."

Buck stood, not taking his eyes off JD. "What the hell?"

Vin spoke first. "I'm sorry guys. There was no time, no way to let you know. We knew something was wrong, and got out of there through the back just when everything went to hell."

"You're alive? You're both alive?" Chris found he was barely able to speak. Buck took a few quick steps over, placing his hands on JD's shoulders to convince himself it was no hallucination. The young man was quiet, and still appeared a bit shaken. "You for real kid? You're OK?"

"Yeah, fine. It's just all kinds of weird. Being dead and all."

"The media won't get any names released, so nobody is going to be worrying about us. The judge is working on the details."

"What details?" Chris demanded, the shock wearing off. "And what do you mean you knew there was something wrong?"

"Did we get any leads on who called it in the original tip that there was something in the jeep?"

"Came from a burner phone – untraceable. But the search came up empty. What made you suspicious this morning?"

"This." Vin answered Chris by handing over his cell phone with a picture displayed. The shot was taken through the window of the jeep. Tucked almost out of sight was playing card. He zoomed in on the shot. The ace of spades could be seen on the barely visible upper corner of the card.

"You saw the card? How?"

"Must have been the way the light hit it or something. I don't know. But it was there, and it just seemed a little to coincidental for my liking. We moved to the far corner behind some cover and I hit the remote starter. That was all she wrote."

"Why did you blow everything up?" Nathan asked.

"In the first place, I didn't KNOW there was bomb. I just wasn't taking any chances. Also, didn't know who might be watching, and what might happen if nothing happened."

"And you are assuming it wasn't just a coincidence that the ace of spades was there? It couldn't have been left from a past time he was with you? Maybe disturbed because of the vehicle search?"

"Maybe, but all things considered, that doesn't seem likely now, does it Nathan?"

"I guess it would be stretching credibility."

"You realize you are suggesting Ezra had something to do with trying to kill you Vin?" Josiah asked.

"No, I am stating it. Maybe he didn't figure I'd see the card till it was to late. A farewell message. Hell, I don't know. None of this makes any kind of sense."

"You really think Standish would go that far?"

"I don't want to Buck, but have you got a better explanation?"

JD shook his head and spoke before Buck could answer. "No. I don't believe it. I won't. Whatever else he may have done, may have become, he wouldn't go that far. If nothing else, it's just not his style."

"Have to say, I agree with him on that." Josiah smiled sadly. "It lacks a certain flare that Ezra would include. Chris – you're being quiet."

"Everybody has been right about one thing. Nothing here makes sense. Not a damn thing. You're right, but Vin is right too. I suppose Standish might just be pissed off enough to want to gloat at the last second." He spoke with little conviction.

"Chris. Tell us again what happened at that meeting."

"Damn it Josiah, we've talked it to death."

"Humour me one last time. You said he admitted what they were saying about him was true."

"Yes."

"No." Vin corrected. "He didn't deny it, but he never admitted it either. Kept saying we should have known."

"Yeah, Vin's right. I think the idea was that he was astonished we were surprised, and that there was no point in denying the allegations."

"So, **not** a confession."

Buck couldn't contain himself. "Standish is a lot of things, but stupid ain't on the list. He wouldn't confess to something even if you saw him doing it."

"How did they make the accusation?" Josiah prodded Chris to continue.

"DA said they had all the evidence they needed to take his badge, and before they were done they'd have him behind bars where he belonged."

"And when you called them on it, what did they say? What did he say?" JD asked.

Vin and Chris glanced at each other and said nothing.

"Well you did call them on it – right?" JD followed up.

"Didn't really have the chance to. They were talking at Ezra and he just sat there grinning back at them. When I asked him to tell me they were wrong, he just smirked and said I shouldn't be surprised."

"Arrogant as ever." Nathan growled.

"That was how it played? Exactly?"

"Well, maybe not word for word, but yeah, that was the gist of it." Vin nodded his support.

Josiah thought it over for a few minutes. "Let me ask you something Chris. If they had turned to Vin in that meeting and made the same accusation, what would you have said?"

"Same thing."

"Really. And Vin, if it had been Chris accused?"

"Same damn thing Josiah. Would have told them they were nuts. What's your point?"

"But that isn't what you said. What either of you said. You didn't defend Ezra…"

"We questioned him." Vin felt nauseous as he was catching on. "You said 'tell me it ain't true.' I said nothing."

The light went on for Chris. "Shit."

"You would have defended any one of us in a heartbeat. And we all would have done the same. But you made **him** defend himself."

"I wasn't accusing him." Chris felt a chill going through him as he tried to justify what he now recognized as unjustifiable.

Buck was also seeing where Josiah was going with this. "Yeah, you were. We all would have said the same thing. We did when you told us what happened." He was having problems with the notion. "But none of that changes the fact he didn't deny anything. Why would he just fold up like that?"

Vin answered. "That's what we need to figure out. Even for Ezra, he was damned evasive."

Chris reached for his cell. Before anyone could ask who he was calling, he held a hand up to silence them. "Judge? We need to talk to you. We'll meet in your office." He listened for a minute. "OK, twenty minutes." He ended the call.

"We're coming with you."

"Judge said alone Josiah."

"Don't care. We all need to know what's going on." Buck answered for everyone.

"OK, but seeing as how JD and Vin are supposed to be dead, and we are supposed to be in shock, you might want to try to act accordingly. You two will have to wait here."

"Screw that. With the hats and uniforms, you guys didn't even notice us. No one will even pay attention to us with all this crap going on." JD's glare showed clearly that he felt the same.

Twenty minutes later the men left the room. The lobby had been cleared of all but essential personnel, and no one paid much mind to the group. The team was surprised when Chris hit the down button.

"We aren't meeting in his office?" Josiah asked.

"Said we needed security, and privacy."

"The bunker? Seriously?" Buck was stunned. The communications bunker was off limits to all but a select number of officials. None of them had ever been in it.

Nothing more was said as they walked the long hallway. When they were admitted to the room, the Judge arched an eyebrow at the arrival of the full entourage, but didn't question it. He turned to the agent seated at a control panel. "Turn on the jammers, then leave us."

"Yes Sir." The agent did as he was told, which the judge found a refreshing change. Chris waited for the door to close.

"Jammers? Just what the hell is going on here?"

"Sit down and shut up Larabee." Chris stared, speechless. "I cannot remember the last time I was so pissed off with you. With anyone. One damn word was all it would have taken to make this job easy. But no. Didn't happen. I told him it would, and he guaranteed me I was wrong. Thank God he didn't take me up on the offer to bet on it or he'd have my home and retirement savings."

"With all due respect Judge – what the hell are you talking about?"

"All you had to do Larabee, was say we were wrong. One word. 'No". That was it. Let him know you believed him. Believed **in** him. I said you would defend him. He said you had no reason to."

"Shit."

"To put it mildly."

"Hang on Judge. This is ALL a scam? A con?" Nathan was flabbergasted. "You put him up to this? Why?"

"Big fish need a big net."

Chris found his voice again. "So, you thought it was perfectly acceptable to destroy a reputation he has spent two years fighting to rebuild – and yes, I know how fucking hypocritical that sounds coming from me right now."

"Not to mention disrespectful."

Chris didn't respond, waiting instead for the explanation.

"It was Standish's idea. I asked his opinion on an alternate plan. One that involved his kind of – what is the term he used – obfuscation. He pointed out numerous flaws and in short order presented a plan B.

I told him it would never work. That his team, his friends, would not accept the notion that he was corrupt. They wouldn't let him walk out of a meeting with the ATF AD and a federal prosecutor as a marked man. They wouldn't turn against him. He just laughed. I actually did offer to bet him my house and savings that you'd fight for him."

Chris reached for a nearby chair and sat down hard. "It was all an act? To what end? Who was worth this?"

"That's it? That's what you care about right now?"

"No, it's not what I care about. It's not what I give a rat's ass about. But so far as I can figure out at this moment, it is the only thing I might be able to do something about. Ezra threw his life away, and I kicked him to the curb. The least we owe him his to make sure it all works out."

"We kicked him to the curb." Vin corrected. "I sat right beside you and said nothing to defend him. Hell, I couldn't even look at him. **And** I just finished accusing him of trying to kill me."

Travis turned toward Vin. "You think he had something to do with the bomb?" Vin showed him the photo of the card. "So, he tipped you off. The call about the search must have been plan A. Something changed and this was his only hope."

"He made the first call?"

"Well he didn't leave his name, but yes, I'm pretty sure it was him. We were told drugs had been planted, but something must have made him uncomfortable enough to risk a second warning."

"Yeah, well seeing someone plant a bomb might have raised a red flag for him." Vin was uncharacteristically sarcastic.

Travis let the tone pass, but not the comment. "If he'd thought for a minute your life was in danger he would have found a better way than that to let us know. He never would have let you anywhere near the place. He wasn't expecting an explosion any more than you were."

Vin took a deep breath. "I'm supposed to be his friend. He told me once I'm the best friend he ever had. That is about as sad as it gets – when his best friend abandons him in a heartbeat."

"We need to find a way to make this right. Don't see how that is going to be possible, but we have to do whatever it takes to try." They all nodded agreement at Josiah's statement.

Travis looked at the six stricken faces staring at him. Short of finding a way to go back in time, they were at a loss for how to fix this, and the all desperately needed to do just that.

"He's after Chiarelli." A moment of stunned silence followed, shattered by the curses and shouts of disbelief from the team. Chris's voice finally broke through the noise.

"Again, with all due respect sir, are you out of your mind?"

"Watch it Larabee. I'm willing to cut you some slack, but don't push your luck. You've got a long way to go to be back in my good books, and that isn't helping matters."

"Chiarelli is a heartless, blood thirsty, power-mad psycho. He wants nothing more than to destroy this team for the damage we've done to his organization over the last five years, and you fed Ezra to him?"

"In the first place, I didn't feed Standish to anyone. I remind you that this was his idea. In the second place, most of the serious damage was done long before Standish came on board. Chiarelli spent the last two years rebuilding, and he's ready to pick up where he left off. That's why we've got to make our move now, before he gets any more established."

Chris stared at the judge for close to a minute without speaking. No one else made the slightest move. As the pieces fell into place, Chris's gaze became colder.

"You son of a bitch. You played him. You set him up."

"I'm warning you for the last time."

"Fire my ass if I'm wrong. You took Ezra a plan you knew had no chance of working to get him to go undercover on his own. That's why you went directly to him. You knew I'd raise five kinds of hell about what you had in mind – about something that could so easily get him killed. You played on his ego and his devotion to this team. Am I wrong?"

The two men stared each other down. The judge blinked first, turning away.

"And you have the nerve to accuse US of betraying him?" Vin shouted at him.

"There is a difference Tanner. I'm his boss. You are supposedly his friends."

Josiah held his arm out to stop Buck from making a move their boss. "Don't. We need all of us working together to fix this. Besides, it wasn't Ezra who got played. It's never Ezra." They all turned to look at the big man. "If we saw through this, you think he didn't? He knew damn well he was being used. Being set up. I guarantee you he figured if one of us had to go down to take Chiarelli out, he was the best choice. Least worthy, most expendable. Kind of his motto."

"But it was my plan." Travis insisted.

"It may have been your original idea," Vin corrected, "but it was his plan."

Buck grinned. "Think about it Judge. How much of what is happening now is what you had figured on?"

Travis thought about the question, and cursed. "That sneaky little SOB. Yeah, he's in a lot deeper than I had anticipated. I was looking at a way to have him smoke out Chiarelli's inside man. He came up with the deep cover going for the whole deal.

"You have any ideas on the insider?"

"No, only that there has to be at least one. That was why we had to have Standish fall from grace, as it were. I didn't plan on making it quite so complete a collapse, but he was convincing in his case that it was the only thing that would really work. It was his idea to bring in the AD and the prosecutor's office."

"The bigger the circle, the more the word spreads." Nathan hated how logical the whole thing sounded.

"Not to mention the fact he might have figured there were informants in those offices too." JD added.

"And he insisted on having you at the meeting Chris. I think he would have had the whole team there, but that would have looked too staged, too contrived."

Vin's face fell. "He really never expected anything different from us, did he? Knew we wouldn't stand up for him." Travis just shook his head.

"Wasn't just a matter of not defending him Vin. That was bad enough, but I accused him. Told him he needed to convince me. That's as low as it gets."

"If it is any consolation Chris, your reaction was exactly what he programmed you to do. For someone with no formal training, he really is a first-class profiler."

"What're you talking about Josiah?" Buck asked.

"Why do you think he wanted so many officials in the room – high ranking officials at that? That much authority sets in your mind there is something significant about to happen. Human nature is to, at first exposure, recognize and accept what is being said by people in authority. You may well question it after, sometimes almost immediately after, but that seed has been planted. Add to that the fact the Ezra didn't challenge any of it and you were set up. Ezra cons perfect strangers on a daily basis. Knowing how to set us up was child's play for him.

"He didn't set you up – you weren't even there" Vin challenged.

"No, but by convincing Chris – our leader, and you, his best friend, he basically convinced all of us at the same time. I'm not suggesting that we follow you blindly, but we are pretty likely to follow your lead more often than not."

"But you didn't follow it – you questioned this." Chris offered.

"No, not with any conviction. All I was saying is it didn't make sense. That's not ever close to being the same thing."

Chris shook his head. "No. Bottom line is I would have defended any one of you, and should have done the same for him."

"Just how deep inside is he?" Nathan asked.

"He's moved into Chiarelli's condo building, and as far as we can tell, he is quickly becoming an invaluable part of the team. Obviously was in on the business with the car. But like I said, the tip said there had been drugs planted, nothing about a bomb."

"When you say 'we can tell', who is 'we'? Who else knows about Ezra's true status?"

"Me, AD Braverman and a few trusted operatives who have been brought in from out of state. Didn't want to run the risk of going with anyone local."

"When did you intend to bring us into this little circle?"

"When it was over. The angrier you all are, the safer his cover is. Now of course, that may have literally been blown to hell."

"Does he know his warning got through to you?" Vin was chilled by the thought he'd just had. Travis merely shrugged once again. "So, there is a good chance Ezra thinks we're dead?"

"No names have been released to the media, so he'd have no way of knowing." Travis argued.

"Right. It's not like Chiarelli would be bragging about this or anything."

"Mr. Dunne, you are sounding more like Wilmington every day."

"I'll take that as a compliment."

"That's not how it was intended."

Chris decided it was time to get back to the matter at hand. "As important as this is to sort out, there is a more pressing issue. Right here, right now, how do we help Ezra?"

Travis looked at the speaker. "You don't Larabee. None of you do. Tanner and Dunne stay dead, and the rest of you are in mourning. If Chiarelli doubts for a minute that Standish has turned, it's over. Apologies and recriminations won't mean a damn thing if he's dead, and it won't be a charade. Let him do what he set out to. He obviously has some kind of plan, and it seems to be working."

"We got a couple of problems with that Judge. His plan is based in no small part on the theory that we don't care what happens to him. And if we don't, he won't"

"Larabee, you can't be trying to tell me you think he might really turn? After all of this you doubt him?"

"No, turning would be the last thing on his mind. I'm telling you he is ready to do whatever he has to without worrying about personal consequences. Add to that the fact he thinks he just got two of us killed. There is just no way this can end well."

M7-M7-M7-M7-M7-M7-M7

 ** _tbc_**


	4. Chapter 4

The ruse played on the next morning. Vin and JD had been set up in a secure suite in the basement of the ATF. Normally used to keep witness safe, it was a sparse but functional refuge for the "deceased" duo. The rest of the team continued their roles as shocked, grieving friends. The act, along with their long-established temperaments, kept most people away. The few who did come to offer condolences were dealt with as quickly as possible.

Chris sat at his desk, looking over the notes Travis had given him on the operation so far. There wasn't much to see. No formal record of the real nature of the case was being kept, to avoid the chance of anything ending up on the wrong desk. Deborah, the judge's assistant, had brought the sealed folder to Chris first thing. Her eyes were red as she looked at the empty desks. "It's just not going to be the same here without them." Her voice reinforced the tears.

"No, nothing is going to be the same." Chris agreed.

When she left, he opened the folder. Two pages of hand written notes. Not exactly the kind of evidence they would be able to build a case on. Several names were listed, but most had been crossed off. They were the suspected insiders, and all but a handful had been cleared by investigations done before this stage of the case had started.

Chris looked over the remaining names, shaking his head a most of them. There wasn't a person there he was unfamiliar with, although he couldn't honestly say he knew any of them well. What he did know of them made him doubt the judge was on the right track. None of them seemed to be in a high enough position to be of much use to someone like Chiarelli. These suspects were minor operators. At best, they might be able to tip him off about a search warrant. Nothing on a caliber that would trigger an operation the likes of which they were in now.

He stood and walked to the outer office, handing the list to Josiah as he passed. "See if you can make anything out of this. I doubt it will lead to anything, but we might as well make sure." Buck and Nathan looked up from the files they were examining. The team was, in theory, looking for suspects in the bombing. It was the excuse they could use to stay at the office. No one would question their desire – their need – for revenge. And they could direct the search to distract anyone on the outside from suspecting Ezra's involvement. The last thing they needed now was for a trigger-happy cop or ATF agent to try to even the score.

Not being able to actually work on much of anything was already starting to wear on their nerves, and while the short tempers helped keep everyone at bay, it didn't do much for team morale. After over an hour of sniping and arguing with each other, the men realized they needed to step away for a bit. Buck came up with an excuse to head to the evidence locker, which by happy coincidence was just a few doors away from Vin and JD. Chris had finished with the information from the judge and planned to return it. Nathan offered to do so instead, needing to stretch his legs and distance himself from the others for a few minutes as well.

He was glad for the solitude of even the short elevator ride. He wasn't really the best of company at the moment, still angry with himself over how willing he'd been to turn on Ezra. Yes, he accepted they'd all fallen for the ploy, but he was surprised to realize how easy it had been for him to think the worst of the man. Even as the others had begun to see the light, he still harboured doubts until Travis had laid the whole story out. He'd spent most of the night sitting on the edge of his bed, going over his history with Ezra. He could come up with no reason for such a strong distrust. Admittedly, they'd had a shaky start. Nathan's personal code of ethics stood in sharp contrast to Ezra's more flexible approach to matters, but he couldn't come up with a single time the savvy agent had actually crossed the line. He acknowledged, if only to himself, that one of the first cases Ezra worked with them didn't help the problem.

The southerner had been perfectly suited to go undercover with a white supremacist group who had been looking to buy a large cache of stolen weapons. Establishing that cover had included staging an ugly encounter with Nathan, and the way it had played out left a deep feeling of resentment. Even though Standish had come to him after, trying to ensure that no damage had been done, Nathan realized he had never really forgiven the man for doing nothing more than his job. Countless cases since, not to mention hours together on stakeouts, in the office or in social contact had proven Ezra held none of the beliefs he'd spouted off that night, yet Nathan's mistrust clearly had not gone away. He hoped now he would have the chance to set that record straight.

He stepped off the elevator and headed down the hall toward Travis's office. Deborah was away from her desk, but the door was open. He was still several steps away when he heard a muffled pop from inside. It was barely a second later when he heard a loud crash, a woman's cry and the all too familiar thud of a body hitting the ground. He pulled his gun and moved forward, identifying himself as he ran into the room. He stopped short at the sight before him, but had the presence of mind to start scanning the area.

"At ease Jackson. She was alone." Travis stood beside his desk, holding onto his left arm. Deborah was unconscious on the ground a few feet away, a broken lamp on the ground near her head. Nathan kicked the gun beside her out of reach before going to check on the judge. "I'm fine. It's a scratch. Saw her reflection in the glass when she came in. Never would have believed it. Hell, I still don't"

Nathan had picked up the phone and dialed Chris's number. "Get up to Travis's office. Now." He hung up and stepped over to close the door before anyone else showed up. Already the sounds had attracted some attention, but the closed door kept the curious outside.

"I don't think anyone was close enough to recognized the silenced shot. Likely the broken lamp drawing attention." There was a knock as Chris opened the door. He was slightly winded from running up the four flights three steps at a time, but was almost breathless when he realized what he was seeing.

Nathan had begun to wrap the wound where the bullet had grazed the judge's upper arm. He gently pushed him into a seat away from his shooter as Chris bent down to handcuff her.

"You up to telling us what happened sir?"

"Of course I am. I'm fine. I was looking for a book on the shelves. I'd told De – her – I didn't want to be disturbed, so when I heard the door I was surprised. Started to turn and looked up. Saw her arm coming up in the reflection of the glass on the bookcase door. Turned, grabbed the lamp and threw it. She ducked. Her aim missed, mine didn't. Jackson was in the room about two seconds later. Does that have to be tied so tight Mr. Jackson?"

"No. I could let it keep bleeding." He took a deep breath. "Sorry Judge. Damn, if I'd been five seconds earlier I could have stopped this."

"Or you might have been in the room and she'd have shot us both."

Chris looked down at the still unmoving woman. "Well, off the top of my head I can only come up with one logical theory for this."

"Yes, given the timing – she is Chiarelli's mole."

"Does she know?" Chris asked, dreading the answer.

"About Standish? No. Maybe. I can't say. I don't think she does. She was never in on any of the meetings, but she has access to just about anything in the office she chooses to. She may well have come and gone while I was on the phone, or looked at notes or God knows what else. She's around so much, half the time I don't even notice her. Up until this second, I thought that was a good feature in an assistant."

Chris stepped to the desk and picked up the phone. "We need an ambulance at the ATF offices. Shooting, two men down." He provided a few more specifics and hung up.

"I don't need an ambulance, and what do you mean two men down?"

"Official release is going to have one ATF agent dead and you in critical condition. You're damn lucky that's just a cover story."

"Only part of it was luck. I had another text from a burner phone. Warning me to watch my back."

"From Ezra? No specifics?"

"Must have been him. All it said was trust no one in my office. Guess it had me a little more alert than usual."

"Second injury? Is that her or me?" Nathan asked.

"You. Sorry Nathan, but you're dead. The more of us he thinks are out of the picture, the stronger advantage we'll have."

"And having her being successful will keep Standish's cover intact. Isn't Chiarelli going to be suspicious when he doesn't hear from her?"

"We put her out of reach. Add her arrest to the news release." Nathan suggested.

"No. If he thinks she might talk he'll cut his losses, and that could include Ezra. News release will have her killed in the shooting too. Details not yet determined, further updates pending. The usual crap." Chris turned to the judge. "Do you have any idea how much info Ezra has yet?"

"You think we need to get him out of there." It wasn't a question.

"I think this it all going a lot faster than anyone expected, and yes, I think that means he's over his head. Add the fact the Chiarelli is certifiably insane, and we got big trouble."

"I'll call the DA and talk to Cavanaugh. We'll set up a raid."

"How do we trust any of them after this?" Chris nodded toward Deborah, still on the floor, but beginning to show signs of consciousness.

"Good point. There is a tracking device in Chiarelli's car. I'll get the information to Dunne and he can find where they are. You six will go after him. Until then, issue the release and we'll try to stall for time."

Chris headed to the door to go back to brief the others. "I'm guessing time is something we don't have much of anymore."

7-7-7-7-7-7-7

Ezra watched the news with the volume down. He'd lost count of how many times he'd seen the footage of the burning garage in the last 30 hours. How many times he'd seen the camera pan the crowd, catching the disbelieving faces of his friends as they watched two body bags being wheeled from the scene.

It was taking every ounce of his self control to refrain from tossing Chiarelli off the penthouse balcony where the man now sat enjoying a late afternoon drink. He was on the phone, again, and Ezra forced himself to calm down enough to try to hear the conversation. Every lead, every contact he could identify was critical now. He already had put together quite a list of names, and there was going to be a serious disturbance in the operations at many levels of law enforcement. He was going to bring down this bastard, and everyone around him, if it was the last thing he did. In fact, he now had little doubt that it would be the last thing. Chris or Buck, or both, would likely see to that.

"Excellent work. Tell everyone to lay low for the moment. We will have to adapt a few plans. Law enforcement won't take kindly to loosing two more members of their ranks so soon. We'll be on our way to a more welcoming locale ourselves for a bit. At least until the next stage is completed and the final step begins." He ended the call.

Ezra's head snapped up. Two more?

"What the hell have you done now?"

"Steady there Standish. I told you when you came on board I would take care of your problem, and that is exactly what I am doing. Ah, there it is – breaking news." He turned up the TV.

"…a shooting inside the ATF building has apparently killed one as yet unidentified ATF agent, and gravely wounded Judge Orin Travis, who was taken to County General hospital. There is no update on his status. Some reports are stating a third person was also shot. Whether this was the shooter or another victim is unknown. The confirmed dead agent is believed to be assigned to the same squad that lost two men in an explosion outside the same offices yesterday. The names of those men are still being withheld, although we expect official word to be coming soon. Out of respect for their families, we are agreeing not to share any other information we have on the matter at this time." The sound was muted again.

"You really are insane. You must be."

"I thought you already knew that Standish. Come now; not getting squeamish on me, are you? Or sentimental?"

"No, but I'm not suicidal either. Do you have any idea what Larabee is going to be like now? It was bad enough with the car bomb, but the Judge, and – and who? Who did you take out?"

"I didn't take out anybody. However, my sources tell me that Mr. Jackson was with Travis when the shooting happened. Another two for one deal. How lucky can you get?"

Ezra hoped his poker face was holding firm. "You have a death wish I am unaware of? Larabee will hunt you down and kill you with his bare hands."

"You going soft on me?" Chiarelli eyed the man carefully.

"No, but I know these men. I thought that was why you wanted me as part of your assemblage. I told you I had ways of bringing down the team without resorting to murder."

"What can I say – I'm old school. Planting drugs? That's amateur night. I want to make Larabee suffer. And the best way to do that is to make him watch his team fall apart, one member at a time. Or, two at a time as it turns out."

"I take it you have plans for Wilmington and Sanchez as well?"

"oh, absolutely. Are you sure you want to know? I thought you would be more enthusiastic about all of this."

"I am not in the habit of using murder to seek retribution. I tend to favour more subtle forms of vengeance."

"Well you're in my house now, and you play by my rules." The phone rang again and Chiarelli turned away. Ezra took advantage of the moment to regroup. Whatever he was feeling had to be put aside. There was no making this right, but there would be a settling of the score. His sole purpose in life now was to make sure that happened. That meant seeing this through for as long as he could.

He turned his attention back to Chiarelli, who was ending the call. "Yes, we'll adjust accordingly. Shame, but no plan is perfect." He hung up, looking less than pleased.

"Indulge my curiosity – were you after Jackson and lucked into the Judge, or was it the other way around?"

"What difference does it make?"

"None I suppose. I just like to know what is going on."

"Grab your jacket. I'll fill you in on details in the car."

"We're going somewhere?"

"You heard the calls. And you're right. Things are heating up around here. The final stages of the plan can be set in motion without my needing, sorry, our needing to be here."

"I'll meet you at the airport – I assume we'll be travelling first class. I'll need to put a few things together."

"Not to worry. It's all been taken care of for you. My jet is waiting for us."

"Beyond first class. How fitting."

The ride down to the parking garage was quiet. Ezra fought to keep his neutral face. The game was up, he had no doubt about it. What had gone wrong, he didn't know. He cast his mind quickly over the last few days and couldn't spot the moment things had turned. He was convinced the texts, useless as they had proven to be, hadn't been discovered. It was possible they'd discovered he'd been searching at every opportunity, but again, the signs didn't support that. Someone had turned on him. Someone who had known the truth had shared it. That was a small circle of possibilities.

He realized that was not his biggest concern. In a moment, the elevator doors would open, and he would either be shot where he stood, or stuffed inside a car to be disposed of at a more convenient time and place. Neither option appealed to him.

The elevator came to rest at the final stop and Ezra mentally braced himself for what might happen next. It was no small relief when the doors opened and Chiarelli stepped out first, walking toward the limo. Ezra lingered slightly scanning the area. Not enough to cause unwanted attention, or so he thought.

"There really is no point in pretending any longer Standish. We both know this is over. Not the way I'd hoped all this would end."

"You can imagine my disappointment in the outcome then." Chiarelli laughed at the cool demeanor Ezra maintained.

"Damn. You have no idea how deeply I wish it hadn't been an act. You are entertaining to have around." Ezra nodded to acknowledge the comment. "It's that annoying morality that gets in the way."

"Morality? That is an attribute rarely ascribed to me. I think you are overstating the evidence. I don't suppose you would indulge my curiosity this time?"

"You want to know where it all went wrong? Who tipped us off?"

"If you don't mind?"

"I do. Some names are best kept secret. Not all my associates in the garage here are privy to the details, so I see no reason to share the news. Won't do you any good anyway."

"How long have you known?"

"Known, just a few minutes. Suspected, a little longer. Wondered almost from the beginning. Watching your face when the garage blew – when Tanner and Dunne were killed. You were just a little to concerned about that."

"Yes, not everyone can maintain your ability to function as a psychopath. Some of us let humanity slip in from time to time."

"And now, upstairs, when you heard dear Deborah had killed Jackson and Travis. Any doubts were done then."

"Deborah?" Even Ezra was surprised by that. He knew someone in the judge's office had to part of all of this. But Deborah? She'd been with him so long it seemed impossible. He used his reaction as an excuse to take a few steps away, leaning back against a nearby car. "I knew you had someone inside, but Deborah?"

"My step-sister's daughter. Family ties run deep Standish. Ties that can't be broken. You people really should be more thorough in running background checks."

"I'll be sure to pass that suggestion along when I return to work."

"Return to what? Travis is going to die and your records on this have been destroyed. No one will ever believe you can be trusted again. Most of your team is dead, the survivors will hate and blame you, no matter which side of the law you claim to have been working for. No future for you there, or anywhere Standish. When you think about it, I'll be doing you a favour when I toss you out of the plane. Now, are you going to get into the car nicely, or do we need to encourage your co-operation."

"Ask Larabee. He would tell you that I have always needed encouragement." As he spoke the last word Ezra snapped his arm up, releasing his derringer. He got the two shots off at the closest of Chiarelli's guards, pushing one to fall into the third man. Shots rang out after him as he dove for cover behind a van, then scampered toward the emergency stairs. He could see before getting there they were blocked by yet another guard, and veered of toward the ramps, remembering a moment too late they were operated by remote signals in the cars. His eyes scanned the walls, searching for an emergency release that had to be somewhere. A shot ricocheted off the wall behind him, sending a chip of cement into his neck. A second later he felt another stab of pain as a bullet skimmed his shin. He stumbled slightly, but fought to stay upright, knowing a fall would be a fatal mistake. He could see another stairwell about 20 parking spaces away. Unguarded, but across a kill zone of open area, it might as well have been on the far side of the city. His head whipped around, searching for an escape route that he knew didn't exist. Anything would be worth the risk now. As he was ready to mentally surrender to his fate, the miracle he didn't deserve fell into his lap. He heard the distinct sound of the garage door motor. Light broke in from the outside as the door opened to allow not one, but two vehicles to enter. The shooting stopped as armed men darted out of sight. A moment later the door closed again.

"Who saw him leave – which way did he go?" Chiarelli was yelling. No one answered him. "Highly trained, armed experts and you let a guy with a pop gun escape. What the hell is the matter with you? Get out on the street. He can't have gone far. Check security cameras and see which way he went. Somebody clean up this mess." He pointed to the two bodies near his car. The garage emptied a moment later as they all were back in the express penthouse elevator.

Ezra waited a full three minutes after he'd heard all sounds stop before lifting the cover of storage bin just enough to see the garage was finally empty. He leapt out and quietly closed things up again, moving as quickly as he could to the stairs and out into the back alley, away from the cameras he knew were being monitored. His only problem now was in figuring our where he could go.

M7-M7-M7-M7-M7-M7-M7

 ** _tbc_**


	5. Chapter 5

"This was left for you at the front desk Mr. Larabee."

"Add it to the pile kid." Condolence cards and notes had been coming in a steady stream. It was not a high priority in the office at the moment. The young officer hesitated for a moment, then decided to take his life in his hands.

"I think you may want to look at this one sir. I noticed something on the envelope." Gulping, he handed it to Chris and turned to leave. Chris looked at the item and was about to raise hell when he saw the small ace of spades in the corner.

"Did you see who left it?"

"No sir."

"How did you know this was important?"

"It's his trademark. Hell, everyone around here knows that. Well, everyone who, well, kind of studies your team. And I figured it it's from him, or about him, you'd want to know. Sir."

"Studies?"

"I figure if I'm going to be a good agent, I should be learning from the best. Sir."

"What's your name son?"

"Steven Taylor. Sir."

"Well Steven Taylor. I have a feeling it won't be all that long until folks around here are calling you sir. Good job. And don't tell anyone about this for now."

"Yes Sir. I mean no, Sir. Thank you, Sir." He left, knowing it would be days before he would be able to wipe the grin from his face.

Chris smiled as he marvelled at the enthusiasm of the rookie, and wondered if he had ever been that young himself. His mood dropped quickly after he opened the note.

 _Mr. Larabee:_

 _I am preparing this correspondence only because there are subjects that must be addressed, and once this day is done I shall be in no position to do that. I shall most likely be dead. Failing that (and failing does seem to be my strong suit as of late) I will be justifiably incarcerated for at least one murder, although the reality is I am responsible for far worse._

 _There is no doubt that, in the unlikely event I survive the day I will be arrested. My acts, as indicated by this letter, are clearly premeditated. I do not intend to apprehend Mr. Chiarelli. I am far too familiar with the capricious nature of the justice system to leave his fate to the courts. Even if he received the guilty verdict he deserves, he would continue to grow his empire from prison. He would continue his efforts to destroy you, the remainder of the team and all those you hold dear. No one would be safe. The man deserves to die. I have no qualms about that decision._

 _I do recognize the irony of placing myself in the role of judge, jury and executioner. Hubris is merely one more sin for which I shall have to answer, and not for the first time. The list of my transgressions is lengthy enough that the addition of one more will barely be noticed._

 _My true crime of hubris lies not in this action, but in the unforgivable one that led to this. I had no doubt when this began (was it really such a short time ago?) that I could bring down Chiarelli and his burgeoning empire in a matter satisfactory to all. Such was my ego concerning my ability to manipulate the situation. That pride left me blind to the possibility of catastrophic failure._

 _I was prepared for your reactions, and for those of the team. Knowing that when, as Mr. Wilmington would say "the shit hit the fan" you would finally admit the true nature of my character Please realize that I understand and accept that reaction. I have seen it all my life, and am well insulated against it._

 _What I was tragically unprepared for was the sheer depth of Chiarelli's ruthlessness. He would stop at nothing to seek out his vengeance. It is an emotion I can now comprehend, as I prepare myself to descend to his level._

 _And while I knew he had sources deep within the system, I failed to see the obvious. I take no comfort in the fact that so many others were equally oblivious. The idea that the ever-present, non-descript individual is the one best suited to be the instrument of destruction is deeply imbedded in the con man's mindset. Servants, waiters, maids, all make excelled covers. As does the personal assistant. Deborah Rhodes was so much a fixture in the judge's world, and in ours, that her presence went unnoticed. I have no doubt that he would have included her on any record he made of those aware of the nature of my assignment. I can only imagine the sense of betrayal he felt in that brief moment her true nature was revealed. Should he survive, I trust you will help him cope with that emotion. It is one I know I have caused you to be all too familiar with._

 _Chiarelli's guile and vindictiveness does not excuse my ineptitude in all of this. I was outplayed in the most important game of my life. And the price was far to great. The loss of three agents will be deeply felt by the ATF. The loss of three good men goes so much deeper._

 _We will now never know the true potential of young Mr. Dunne. Behind all that enthusiasm and unpretentiousness, I am certain was the mind and spirit of a stellar agent, and a caring, compassionate man. His willingness, eagerness, to always see the best in everyone was perfectly balanced with a quiet understanding of the ways of the world._

 _Mr. Jackson possessed not just the skills of a healer, but the heart of one as well. It was a part of his very essence to care about and for others. From his community outreach to the tolerance he demonstrated with us, his most reluctant and quarrelsome patients, he showed himself to be more than worthy._

 _And Mr. Tanner. I am at a loss for how to express the depths to which his death has broken me. His acceptance, his concern, his caring made him a truly unique individual. His soul reflected the genuine nature of his calling in life. He did not choose law enforcement to go after the villains of this world, but to protect the innocent and those proper society has abandoned. To say his loss leaves a hole in the fabric of the world may be melodramatic, but that does not make the statement any less accurate._

 _This document is intended… well to be honest (yes, again I realize the irony) I cannot say how this should be defined. An explanation? How does one explain the incomprehensible moments of life? No words could define the magnitude of the consequences of my actions. An excuse? Simply not possible. There can be none. A farewell? I doubt at this point that would be of any interest to you._

 _I suppose this can also be viewed as a suicide note, as I expect my time is limited. Technically, I do not anticipate ending my own life, even thought I expect that will be the outcome of my actions._

 _The best I can say is that it is a directive. Judge Travis was aware of the existence of critical documents, including my will and related items. As I cannot be certain he has survived this debacle, I feel I should let you know that all such information is in the possession of my lawyer, Peter Coles. On a far more important note, the evidence and all my notes relating to this case have been couriered to you Mr. Larabee. While they won't be needed for Mr. Chiarelli, they will provide the data required to collapse, or at the very least severely cripple his organization. It is beyond inadequate recompense for your losses, but it is sadly the best I can offer._

 _You will not believe me when I say, all evidence to the contrary, that it has been both an honour and a privilege to work with you all. I have learned more about life, and about myself, in this time than I ever could have dreamt possible. My greatest regret was that I did not have the good fortune to make this acquaintance prior to my reputation being irreparably damaged. There are, clearly, some mistakes that can never be corrected, and I seem to have made each and every one of them. I had begun to hope that, over time, my legacy might shift. That was not to be and for that reality I have only myself to blame._

 _I do not ask for or expect any forgiveness for past or recent actions. None would be given, none can be earned. My failure was absolute and no word or deed can change that._

 _I thank you for the efforts, wasted though they were, on my behalf. Would that I had been worthy of them._

 _With Deepest Regrets, Ezra Standish._

M7-M7-M7-M7-M7-M7-M7

 _tbc_


	6. Chapter 6

Chris stared numbly at the pages in his hand. Everything about this moment was wrong, and wrong on so many levels. He shook himself from his shock as he realized he was wasting what could be precious seconds. He was shouting to the team as he stormed out of the office.

"JD, do we have eyes on Chiarelli?"

"Not exactly eyes, but we have the tracking set up. Monitors show he left his office a few minutes ago. Looks like the car is headed toward the private airfield where he keeps his jet."

"Send any and every one you can out there. Stop him, stop anyone who tries to get close to him. Stop only – no arrest, and for God's sake, no shooting." JD knew it was best to act first and ask questions later when that tone was being used, and immediately began making calls. Nathan grabbed for his phone. "I'll call the tower, tell them to restrict take off. Do I have a logical reason I can give them, or do I just bullshit my way through it?"

"Tell them there is a security issue, but no details are being provided yet. Tell them an ATF agent's life is in danger." They all stopped to look at him. "What are you waiting for? Call. They should let Chiarelli get on the plane, then block it from moving. He'll likely be safer trapped on board. Cannot believe I am trying to save that bastard."

"We are doing this why?" Buck challenged.

"Because Ezra is on his way to kill the son of a bitch, and while no one deserves it more, I will not let one of my agents throw his life away like that."

"You mean arrest him, don't you? You can't think Ezra is heading out there to with cold blooded murder in mind." Josiah would not believe it, and the others were equally unwilling to think ill of Ezra at this point.

"He thinks Vin, JD and Nathan are dead, and that it's his fault. His and Chiarelli's. He plans to take him out, and doesn't especially care about surviving the act." Chris handed the note to Josiah. The others watched the big man go pale as he skimmed over the message. Tossing it to Vin, he grabbed his jacket. "Why are we just standing here?"

"Because we need to be sure about this. We've made too many mistakes lately. I'd like to know where we're going and be ready before we get there. Are you sure about the airport JD?"

"No. He's headed that way, but there are dozens of roads he could turn off at, not to mention highways he could get on. I'm issuing notice to get the local cops to pull him over and put him in protective custo – shit." All heads turned. "The monitor went down."

"Why?"

"Hell Chris, I don't know. Coincidence? They found it? Solar flares? How the fuck am I supposed to know?" His voice was bordering on panic. Buck moved behind him, placing his hands on the younger agent's shoulders.

"Breathe JD. Panic ain't gonna help anybody. That's it. Deep breath."

"Sorry Chris. I'll figure it out." He looked up sheepishly at Larabee, who tried to offer an encouraging smile back. "Never mind kid. With the last location you have, what's your best bet?"

"I'd stick with the airport."

"He's right Chris." Nathan hung up his phone. "Tower confirms there is activity in the hanger where Chiarelli's plane is stored. They're notifying security to follow our lead on this, but it's a private firm, so they are likely to be less than co-operative."

"Call them back. Tell them Homeland Security is issuing the threat notice."

"Homeland Security? Damn, I've never been arrested for impersonating a federal officer before?" Buck tried breaking some of the tension.

"You are a federal officer Buck – remember?" JD played along.

"We have to find him." Vin's voice was so soft he could barely be heard.

"I'm trying Vin." JD insisted. Buck dropped all pretense of kidding. "He means we have to find Ezra kid."

Vin had finished the letter and was doing his best not to collapse where he stood. "He's gonna get himself killed Chris. That's what he's trying to do. We have to find him. He's got it all wrong. We have to let him know."

"We'll find him. We'll fix this." Chris grabbed his keys and the others followed him out. "Damned if I know how, but we are going to find a way."

7-7-7-7-7-7-7

Chiarelli's chauffeur pulled up to the hanger. Two security guards approached the vehicle, one to the driver, one to the rear passenger door. The first spoke when the window was lowered.

"We've been informed there might be a problem. You might want to wait in the car." The driver turned to check with his boss.

"Screw that. The plane's a hell of a lot more comfortable. Besides, I've got plans to make." The second guard opened the door for him. "I'm afraid you won't be able to take off, but there is no reason you shouldn't wait in style."

"Fine – I can make my calls from there just as easily. You can leave." He nodded to the driver as the door was closed behind him. He walked away, leaving his bag and briefcase for the security officer to carry in for him. Mumbling a quiet curse, he picked up the bag while the first man took up his post at the door. "Guess I just became his valet." He muttered under his breath as his partner laughed quietly. As the hanger entry door closed behind him, he dropped the bags and slid the bolt into place. Chiarelli turned around at the sound and found himself staring down the barrel of a gun. The security guard lifted his head, pushing back his hat with his free hand.

"Standish?"

"You of all people should appreciate the value of using an everyday disguise as means to your end. Frightfully easy to blend in wearing the right uniform. Please stop moving. I'm not quite set to shoot you yet, and would hate to draw too much attention. And before you get your hopes up, your pilot has been notified of a delay in the departure time."

"So, you managed to avoid my men. Clearly I also need to review my hiring practices."

"Not really an issue. Your days of hiring people are over."

"You intend to arrest me? You do realize the minute you get anywhere near a police station you're the one who will be arrested. Every law enforcement officer within a hundred miles of here believes you killed your friends. I've made sure of that. Word is out. You'll be lucky to survive long enough to be arrested. And if you do get behind bars, you won't have a friend on either side of the law to protect you."

"I don't recall saying I had any intention of arresting you Chiarelli." He waved the gun slightly.

"I see. That leaves joining me or killing me as your options. We tried the former, and that didn't really work out well for anyone. I have to assume you plan on killing me. Welcome to my world Standish. Do you really think this will redeem you in anyone's eyes? Larabee will never forgive you for killing his team. And God knows how many other ATF personnel." He smiled at the shock that crossed Ezra's face.

"Oh, yes. By now Wilmington and Sanchez will have joined the others." He glanced at his watch. "Sorry, not quite yet, but the bomb should be going off any minute now. With all the evidence showing you planted it left in your condo. Poor Standish – went off the deep end when he was turfed out by his team. Murdered them all. At least that's how it should have played out. Now it's just a tragic comedy of errors. Not what I had in mind when this started. I had really hoped to have Larabee kill you in retribution, and then rot in jail. Would have been even better when it became known that you were innocent all along. Watching him live with that guilt would have been the icing on my cake. Still, what I have managed here is pretty damn good. Wouldn't you say?"

Ezra walked closer, gun leveled at Chiarelli's head. "You cannot believe for an instant that I won't pull the trigger. I really have nothing else to live for, so where is the cost?"

"You won't kill me in cold blood Standish. It's not you, despite what you try to pretend to be. Self defense, yes. Defending others, definitely. You've got that damned noble streak underneath it all. Shame. You really would have made a hell of a partner if you'd been half the bastard you pretend to be."

"You overestimate my morality. It is a strangely common mistake. And please, explain to me why should I believe you about the bomb?" He pulled back slightly on the trigger.

"Why would I lie?"

"To stall. To keep me from killing you for a few more minutes while you attempt to plot an escape."

"You willing to take the chance I'm lying to you? Knowing how crazy you keep saying I am? I know where the bomb is Standish – you don't. It may not be to late."

"I can hazard a decent guess from what you've said. ATF offices. Larabee's office would be my bet. Undoubtedly someone has placed a call to him, luring him out so that he alone survives. More guilt." It was his turn to smile at Chiarelli's reaction. "Your done. All your plans are done. Your legacy, if that is what you choose to call it, is collapsing again."

Ezra used his free hand to pull out his cellphone. He glanced down for just a second to call emergency. It was all the time Chiarelli needed to release his own hidden gun and fire. Ezra saw the motion in time to turn slightly, but still felt the burn of the bullet at his chest. He pulled the trigger as he fell, but the shot went wild. A moment later Chiarelli stood over him, foot resting on the arm that held Ezra's hidden pistol.

"Think you're the only one who likes fancy toys. This always looked like a handy gadget to have. I wasn't lying about any of it. Your ATF building will be rubble in just a few more minutes. **My** legacy remains intact. Can't say the same for yours. I will miss having you around Ezra. Like I said, I think we could have made and unstoppable team."

"I'll see you in hell." Ezra fought to free his arm, distracting Chiarelli from the other hand. He doubted he'd get a shot fired, but was determined to die trying. He never had a chance to raise the weapon. The sound of gunfire echoed in the hanger as six weapons opened fire. Before Chiarelli's body hit the ground, Chris was at Ezra's side.

"Hang on Ezra. Hang on. Ambulance in on the way."

"Bomb. ATF office. He may be bluffing but…" Ezra voice was weakening quickly. Buck had already pulled out his phone and was ordering the evacuation before the sentence was finished. "I'm sorry…about all of it."

"It's OK Ezra. We got it. Everything's gonna be OK. You did good. Ezra? Ezra wake up."

Nathan was at his side. "Keep pressure on the wound. His pulse feels steady, and breathing is decent. I think it's shock and exhaustion as much as anything."

Chris slapped Ezra's face. "Standish, damn it. Wake up. Ezra, don't you quit on me." He moved to slap again when Nathan grabbed his hand.

"What the hell are you doing?"

"He's quitting. He's not going to fight. Thinks you're dead. And Vin, and JD. And it's his fault. Damn fool was apologizing. He's not going to quit if I have anything to say about it." He could hear the ambulance pulling up outside. He shook Ezra gently. "Come on damn it. They're alive Ezra. Wake up!"

M7-M7-M7-M7-M7-M7-M7

 ** _tbc_**


	7. Chapter 7

"We really should have our own waiting room. We're here often enough."

"Not funny Buck." JD looked pointedly at his friend. "Not a damn thing funny here."

"I know."

Josiah sat quietly in the corner, watching the two argue with no anger involved. He switched his gaze to follow Chris as he wore his traditional path deeper into the carpeting. He walked from the window to the coffee machine to the door. So far, he had poured four cups, taking barely a sip from any of them.

Vin sat staring out the window, seeing nothing of the world he watched. He hadn't said a word since they arrived, barely even looking at the others. He alone remained in place when Nathan finally came into the room.

"Lost a fair bit of blood, but the bullet didn't do any damage that can't be fixed up. All things being equal he should be out of here within the week." Despite the news, he wasn't smiling.

"All things being equal?" Chris asked.

"He's not making much of an effort. Almost like he doesn't care."

"Because he doesn't." Josiah thought back to the message Ezra had left for Chris. "Didn't expect to survive the day. Didn't really want to. He doesn't see a reason to change that expectation."

"Then we give him one." Buck answered.

"Just how do we do that Buck?" Vin finally spoke. "He thinks he killed us. He thinks he failed us. Thinks somehow he let us all down. Stupid jackass doesn't get that he's got the whole thing backwards. We fucked it up, not him. He's gonna let himself die because we were too damn pigheaded to see the truth."

"Steady Vin. Nobody is going to die. You heard Nathan. The wound isn't bad."

"Also heard him say Ezra isn't trying Josiah. He doesn't want to live. I read the note too."

"He'll come around. And when he hears the truth, once he knows we're OK, he'll start getting better."

"You think so JD? Even when he knows the truth this is still going to be screwed up. Or have you forgotten what started all of this?"

"That's enough." Chris didn't have to shout – his tone silenced them all. "Ezra is not going to die, and we are going to get this figured out. It obviously won't get fixed tonight. Or tomorrow either. This is going to take some time, but it is going to get fixed."

"Saying is doesn't make it happen Chris. It's not that easy. Not this time."

"I know that Vin. I told Ezra not to give up, and now I guess I have to say it to the rest of you. This isn't close to being done, and nobody is quitting on my watch. Right now, we go home. We get cleaned up. Get some rest. That means everybody. Be back here at eight and we start planning the next step of this job."

7-7-7-7-7-7-7

Resting comfortably. That's what they kept saying. He sure as hell didn't look comfortable. Even in sleep the stress and worry was clear on his pale, tight face. He still hadn't shown signs of regaining consciousness. The doctor said he needed rest; he'd been weakened by stress and blood loss. Chris readily acknowledged the man had had his share and then some of both. Doctors weren't worried. They were the only ones who could make that claim.

Chris fidgeted in the chair, watching the slow rise and fall of the blankets that covered Ezra. Not a patient man at the best of times, the current situation was chewing on his last nerve. He, Josiah and Buck had been taking turns sitting from the moment they'd been allowed in the room. It had been suggested that it might not be the best thing for Ezra's mental health, not to mention his recovery, to have Vin, JD or Nathan be the first thing he saw when he opened his eyes, seeing as he believed them all to be dead. Possibly a tad too traumatic, all things considered. Chris wasn't at all certain his own presence would be much more welcome, as he kept thinking back to the meeting that started all of this. Not that anything was about to keep him away.

Now, 15 minutes into his third shift, he was ready to lose it. He needed to talk to this man. Needed to know where they stood.

"Damn it Standish - enough of this shit. You need to wake up and you need to wake up now. You promised me once you were going to be a part of this team and I'm holding you to that. Don't doubt you want out, and don't doubt you have cause, but that's just too damn bad. This is like a marriage - for better or worse. No denying we've been dealt more than enough of the worse lately, but we are stuck with each other. No divorces here."

"Till death did us part."

Chris wasn't entirely certain he hadn't imagined that. Ezra's eyes remained closed, the tension still evident. But he had turned his head slightly. Granted, it was turned away from Chris, but movement is movement.

"Well you took your sweet time waking up." He reached for his phone, push a few buttons and slid it back into his pocket. "The others are gonna be glad to see that too."

"I have no desire for visitors. Please don't make me do that Mr. Larabee."

"Look at me. I mean it Ezra, you need to be looking at me when I say this."

Ezra steeled himself to face the glare that was waiting for him. He half expected to see a gun pointed at his face, even though he knew it wasn't the man's style. Still, it would be nothing less that he deserved.

"There is no 'death do us part' crap. JD, Nathan, Vin. All still alive. Nobody was hurt. We got your messages Ezra. Got the warnings. Nobody was even hurt." There was no response. "Ezra, are you listening to me?"

"If this is some kind of gambit Mr. Larabee..."

"No games, no ploys, no tricks Ezra. You'll see for yourself in about a minute depending on how fast the elevator is moving. You done good Ezra. Better than good."

"The judge? He wasn't shot?"

"Winged, but Deborah is a lousy shot. And, he was on the lookout for trouble, again thanks to you. We made everything sound worse to keep your cover intact."

"The bomb? Was there a bomb?"

"Would never had found it if you hadn't tipped us to it. Building was evacuated as a precaution, but they found it in time." He was interrupted by the sounds in the hallway of an approaching stampede. As he heard them at the door he shouted out. "Hold on guys. Stay put." He turned back to Ezra. He could see the anxiety was still present, despite all he'd been told. It became more apparent and intense as the others got closer. "They want to see you. Are you OK with that? Up to it?"

"No. Not yet. Please - not yet."

"We have to talk Ezra. You get that, right?"

"I know. I do. We will. I just - I need... I don't know."

He couldn't remember ever seeing the man quite this distraught. "Easy Ezra. Take it easy. You rest. You've earned it. I'll hold them off for now." Even as he spoke the door began to open. He reached it a few quick strides.

"Not now Buck. Go - Out." He could see the shock and disappointment, but at the moment, they were not his concern. "He's ok. I'll be out in a minute. Go."

He moved back to the bed, where Ezra had again turned away from having to make eye contact. "I know you're overwhelmed, and I'll leave in a minute so you can get some rest and process through all of this. Just let me say a couple quick things. You haven't asked, which doesn't surprise me, but you were shot. You'll be fine with some rest - good as new. And Chiarelli is dead." He saw Ezra stir slightly at this news, but still didn't speak. "You didn't do it, we did. He was killed in the act of attempting to kill an ATF agent – that would be you. I got the evidence you sent and his operation is being shut down as we speak by more government agencies than I knew existed. Third, and this is the big one, we are all - the whole team - going to be having a nice, long talk about all of this. It will keep for a bit, but it is going to happen."

"Is everyone really alright?"

Chris smiled. "Yeah Ezra. We are now." He watched as the wounded man closed his eyes and drifted off. "Now we just have to hope things stay that way."

7-7-7-7-7-7-7

Efforts to send the team home were less than successful. JD and Buck were finally convinced to head back to the office to see just how much chaos had been left by the bomb squad. Chris seriously doubted these two were the ideal choices be on a clean-up committee. He'd seen the apartment they shared. Still, it would keep them busy, and hopefully out of trouble. On further reflection, he decided to send Nathan with them to act as adult supervision.

Josiah and Vin refused to leave. Threats didn't work, orders had no success, and Chris was not about to beg. They did agree to leave Ezra alone until he was ready, and Josiah even volunteered to pick up a decent meal for them, but both men were staying close by. All three settled into the waiting area, positioned to see every action that took place concerning their friend. Each arrival and departure was noted with faces being scrutinized for any indication of a change in his condition. Vin was watching when a sign was posted on the door in the late in the afternoon, and was on his feet instantly to see what it was about. He found his path blocked by the head nurse.

"Mr. Standish has requested no visitors. Asked that I make it clear there were NO exceptions."

"That's not happening." Vin tried to slip past her but was stopped again, this time by a firm but gentle grip on his arm.

"He's not ready to see you. Any of you." She stopped speaking and looked at the trio in front of her. "OK, listen. He'll be mad as hell at me if he finds out I said this, but it's not the first time I've dealt with all of you, so I'm willing to take my chances. He needs time to figure this - whatever 'this' is - out. He's tired, he's lost. He got to sort through this in his own way. His own time."

"That's the thing of it. He doesn't. He's got us. He needs to know he's got us." Vin insisted.

"And I will do what I can to remind him of that. Maybe in a day or two he'll be ready to hear it. But right now, that's not how he sees it. If you try to go into his room, I will have to have you removed from the hospital. I'm sorry. Those are the rules."

"Any reason we can't just we wait here?"

"No rules stopping that Agent Larabee. As long as you don't bother him,"

Holding Buck back had been a challenge when he and the others returned. "No damn sign is keeping me out."

"It's his call Buck."

"Like Hell. He doesn't trust us - not that I blame him. He needs to know he's wrong."

"The problem with that Buck, is that he's right." JD's simple comment quieted everyone. "We screwed him over. No way around it. It's got to be his call on when we get to try to fix that. He needs some time. If we can't respect that, how is he going to accept that we can respect any of his wishes?"

Buck's anger was dampened by his astonishment. "When did you get so damn smart?"

"Well it sure wasn't from hanging around you." he grinned at the mildly angry glare.

M7-M7-M7-M7-M7-M7-M7

tbc


	8. Chapter 8

Judge Travis had no better luck getting into Ezra's room the following morning. Since he was on medical leave he had no official standing, and was turned away when a five member official entourage came to call. Chris was making a good effort at blocking the others from entering.

"Rein it in Larabee. The Director is here to return Standish's badge and officially reinstate him."

"And the DA?"

"I'm here for the same reasons. Making everything official. As you know, a press release has already been issued exonerating Standish and clarifying the story. Add to that the fact he tipped us off in time to evacuate the building and have the bomb squad disarm the device, saving countless lives, and your boy is a bonified hero."

"I heard it on the radio. Everyone alive and well. And you intend to make milk that for all it's worth."

"Larabee!"

"Quite alright Judge Travis. I'd be pissed of with us if I was in his shoes too. There's no glory seeking on this one. That's why it was a press release and not a conference. Look, there wasn't an office involved that bastard hadn't infiltrated, and we're all indebted to Standish for what he did, and the risks he took. We are doing everything we can to keep his identity off the front page, so that he can continue doing his job. At the same time, we are making it clear to everyone in the ATF, FBI and any other branch of law enforcement what the real story is." With that Cavanaugh and Braverman entered Ezra's room, while the others stewed outside.

A few minutes later Vin was pacing in the hall, trying to calm his nerves. "He shouldn't be in there alone with those guys Chris. Those are the men who wanted to fry Ezra when all this started."

"Vin, WE are the guys who wanted to fry him when all of this started."

"Yeah, but we've learned - have they?"

"Relax Mr. Tanner. Like we told Larabee a few minutes ago, this is nothing more than a formality to reinstate his position in the ATF. It's also to notify him that he has been recommended for a special service commendation."

"Wish you hadn't done that Judge." Chris frowned. "Don't doubt that he deserves it, but I'll bet he's not ready to see it that was right now."

"Wasn't my decision. Came from higher up. Much higher up. National Director. I wasn't really in a position to veto it."

Before any further comments could be made the door opened and AD Braverman led the small group out. Cavanaugh walked over to the team.

"He wouldn't accept it."

"I could have told you the commendation was a bad idea."

"Not the commendation Agent Larabee. Well, not just the commendation. Wouldn't take the badge. Said he wasn't coming back."

"OK, that's it. I'm done. Screw the badge, the patience, the whole damn thing." Buck pushed past the men, and this time no one tried to stop him.

"Ezra what the hell do you think you're doing. Ya can't just quit like that."

"I can, and I did Mr. Wilmington. There is no need for further discussion."

"There is a lot of need and we're done pussy-footing around this. You just settle back and get comfortable 'cause I ain't leaving till we've all had our say."

"Fine. If acceptance of my resignation is contingent upon your opportunity to chastise and rebuke me, I suppose it is only fair for me to provide you with that opportunity. Please, proceed."

Buck stared - speechless.

Chris filled the gap. "Chastise? Rebuke? Ezra, what the hell are you talking about?"

Ezra stared back, saying nothing. His expression waivered slightly when Nathan entered, and when JD and then Vin followed it was more than he could hide. The poker face vanished as grief, guilt and pain washed over him. It was only a matter of seconds before he closed up again, and turned his head, but the damage had been done.

"Shit Ezra, this wasn't your fault. You get that, don't you?" Chris waited for an answer, but it came from a different source.

"No Chris, he doesn't." Josiah shook his head. "He's been fighting to control himself for almost three days now. Beating himself up despite the fact he was doing his job. Beating himself up despite the fact he was the one with the balls to put his career on the line to take down that scum. Beating himself up despite the fact he was the one risking his life, repeatedly, to get messages to us about what was going on. That about right son?"

"I almost got you all killed."

"You saved our lives, you stupid jackass." Buck had found his voice. "You left an ace of spades in a car rigged to explode. And by the way, one of these days you need to explain how you did that."

"You used a burner phone to send texts and leave messages. Chiarelli would have killed you on the spot if he'd found it. Hell, if he'd suspected it." JD added.

"Chiarelli played me for a fool."

"He played all of us, and I got it worse that you did Standish. My own assistant was feeding him information. Tried to kill me." The judge spoke from the doorway, not willing to fully intrude on what was a team moment. "The man was good. Damned good. But he's dead. We're here. That makes us better. I can't force you to come back. By God, I wish I could. And I can't force you to listen - really listen - to these men. I hope you do. Not just what they say, but how. You owe it to yourself to give them a chance. Gentlemen, do your best. It has never been more important." He closed the door behind him, issuing a silent prayer at the same time.

"Explain it to me Ezra." Vin spoke for the first time. "Explain to me how we betray you, we leave you hanging, we deny everything good and decent and honourable that you have ever done, and you turn around and risk your neck to save our sorry asses. You grieve for us when you think we died, even after we turf you out. You plan to throw not just your career, but your freedom - your life! - away to try to balance all of this. And still, after all of that, you manage to find a way to figure out that you are to blame for the whole deal. You're somehow the one at fault. Explain it to me Ezra, 'cause I guess I'm just too stupid to make sense out of any of it." Vin didn't even try to fight the tears in his eyes.

"The letter explained it. Surely Mr. Larabee shared it with you." Ezra still was not looking at any of them.

"No," Chris countered, "it didn't. It was just a bunch more of your self-deprecating crap. Ezra. WE screwed this up. In a big way.

That first day, when it started, I thought Travis was disappointed in you. Man, did I have that wrong. He was so proud - the way you handled all the crap everyone threw at you. Me on the other hand; he would have gladly kicked my ass off the roof given half a chance."

"You reacted precisely the way you were supposed to Mr. Larabee."

"No. No, I reacted the way you **needed** me to. That was miles away from the way I was **supposed** to. I was **supposed** to support you. You're my agent. My teammate. My friend. I was supposed to tell those SOBs they were out of their tiny little minds. I was supposed to stand up, slam my badge on the table and tell them if you were gone, I was too. That's what I was SUPPOSED to do."

"In God's name, why would you do anything so foolish?"

"Because I was supposed to believe in you."

"I say again - why would you have done anything so foolish."

"Because you've earned it. Ezra, I was wrong to ask you to prove yourself. You've already done that a hundred times since we met. More. You have done everything humanly possible to move past all the BS you grew up with and worked with in the past. I threw that all way with one sentence. It shouldn't have been "tell me they're lying." I should have said it. I should have told them they were lying. I should have believed they were lying. Marched you out the door and told them to shove their accusations up their collective asses. The fact that I didn't is a regret I'm going to live with till my dying day."

"Why didn't you?" Ezra asked softly.

Chris paused, surprised by the question. He shouldn't have been. Ezra had every right to ask it. He just didn't know how to put the answer into words.

"Let me answer my own question them Mr. Larabee." Ezra spoke when Chris couldn't. "Because you had doubts. Real, justified doubts. How could you not?"

"Weren't you listening to him Ezra?"

"Yes Mr. Sanchez, I was. All the things he should have done. All the things he didn't do, because they were beyond his ability. That is not his failing, it is mine."

Chris threw his hands in the air, as the others groaned and cursed. "How do we get into that head of your Standish? How do we get past that mile-high barrier you've put around yourself?"

"Strange Mr. Jackson. I was posing the same question to myself about all of you."

JD moved to stand in Ezra's line of vision, only to watch his eyes shift down. "That's OK Ezra, I get that you don't want to look at any of us right now. I'm not thrilled with us either."

"That is not my reason for avoiding eye contact Mr. Dunne."

"But it's how I interpret it. And isn't that what this is all about? How we understand each other?" Ezra didn't answer. "I think that's what is going on. What's the line from that move you like so much Buck? 'A failure to communicate.' You aren't mad at us for not trusting you, are you?"

"Why should I be? It is a simple fact of life. I am untrustworthy. And before you all go off on a tirade, please, hear me out. I have spent a lifetime reinforcing that. No matter what happens, no matter what I do, there will be a shadow I carry with me. All efforts to repair that damage have obviously been unsuccessful."

"But you have repaired the damage. Don't you get that?"

"If that were true, this discussion wouldn't be needed now Mr. Dunne. Until you all reach a point where it would not occur to you to question my character, I have failed."

More curses filled the air.

Buck groaned. "No one is that stubborn. I thought Chris was bad, but you are something else again."

"I don't believe this." Vin offered a rare growl. "I can NOT believe how screwed up this whole thing is."

There were several moments of silence as everyone tried to come to terms with the last few minutes. Muttered curses broke the stillness from time to time, but no discernable dialogue could be heard. A nurse came in to check on Ezra and left as quickly as possible, feeling the oppression of the tension.

Almost 15 minutes passed before Chris spoke.

"Do you believe folks deserve a second chance Ezra?"

"That would depend on what the first offense was, but as a rule, yes I think such an opportunity should be granted. Lord knows I have had more than my share of them."

"Then I think it would be safe to say you owe us that same opportunity."

Ezra turned and looked at him, confusion evident on his face.

"A second chance at what?"

"A second chance to let you prove to us you've changed. That's what you've been saying right? That you failed to do that? Well I think we should have a second chance to watch you prove to us that we should be forgiven for the way we treated you."

"That sentence gave me a headache Chris."

"Try to imagine Mr. Wilmington the effect it is having on me. Am I to understand that you want me try once again to prove to you that I belong with this team?"

"No, we already know that. I'm asking you to give us a second chance to show you that we belong with the team."

"You are the team."

"Not if you aren't part of it." Josiah replied.

Ezra looked at the anxious faces around him. He didn't know whether it was fatigue, the injuries or the medications affecting his brain, but something was allowing Larabee's twisted logic to make some kind of sense to him. Maybe it was simply that he so desperately wanted a reason to fit in again, he was willing to grasp at any straw. He finally shrugged slightly, wincing at the discomfort the act caused. "I suppose, all things considered, this could be accepted as a working solution." He could feel the tension drop in the room. It wasn't gone, but there was definitely a change in the air. "Now, having settled that matter, I believe I would appreciate the opportunity to rest for a while gentlemen, if you don't mind." Chris stepped over to the bed while the others turned to leave. They all knew this had really resolved nothing, but at least it was a first step on a long road.

"So I can tell the judge you'll be coming back to work when the doc gives you the all clear?" They all waited for confirmation.

"I think that would be an acceptable message to deliver."

"He'll be relieved to hear it. I know I am. We'll have to talk about some of the details. A lot of details. You get some rest for now."

Vin lingered as the others left. He looked at Chris who spoke quietly. "Have your say, but don't push him Vin."

He pulled the chair up to the foot of the bed, trying not to crowd Ezra. "I know you want to rest, and I'm only going to stay a minute."

"Please, there is nothing else to say…"

"You're wrong. There is too much to say. I don't have your way with words. Can't twist things around to make a point, or hide what I mean. I have to say things straight out. You don't want to hear it, but that doesn't matter right now. It's gonna take me a long time to forgive myself for the way I treated you, and I may never get over it all together. But you're right – some of the blame is on you in all this too. You shouldn't have put us in that position. You shouldn't have had so little faith in yourself. In us, yes – clearly that was justified. But you have gotta believe in you more than you do. Cause if you keep expecting so little of yourself, you can't be surprised when we follow your lead."

"I have never had much reason to have faith, in myself or others."

"You think maybe we can all start working on that?"

Ezra paused for a moment, and for the first time in longer than he could remember, smiled. "Yes, I think perhaps that might be a most worthwhile project."

M7-M7-M7-M7-M7-M7-M7

 ** _tbc_**


	9. Epilogue

Ezra sat in the passenger seat of Vin's new truck. Well, new to him at least. Ezra doubted anything that looked this bad could ever have been new.

"Are you quite certain this is road-worthy?" he asked for the fourth time.

"Told you Ezra, it passes all the requirements." Barely, he added to himself, seeing no reason to voice that qualification. "It suits me, don't you think?"

"What I think is that we shall be blessed with great good fortune if we are in fact able to arrive at our destination with the doors intact, not to mention the wheels. Did your insurance not provide you with sufficient recompense to purchase a real car? I would be more than willing to co-sign a loan for you to find more suitable transportation."

"Ezra, I've got what I want right here." Vin replied, realizing how many levels that answer covered. "Everything I want."

"And it is both safe and reliable?"

"Perfectly. Trust me Ezra."

"I do. Implicitly."

Vin's smile faded as he pulled into the parking lot. Ezra had shifted his in his seat to avoid having to look at the demolition work being finished on the former parking structure.

"Don't do it Ezra." Vin warned.

"Do what?"

"Start slipping back."

Ezra sighed softly. "I am trying."

"We all are. I know there is still stuff to work out, but you know coming back was the right move, don't you?"

"I hope so." he said, shrugging unconsciously to reflect the seeds of doubt still there. Vin was out of the car, but Ezra had not made a move. "Perhaps I have overreached my capabilities in returning to work to quickly. I am still feeling somewhat fatigued."

"Been two weeks Ezra. Doc says your ready, but if you get tired one of us will take you home. Or we could have Nathan take you back over to the hospital if you're feeling that poorly." The look on Ezra's face made Vin wonder if he'd been taking glaring lessons from Chris. "It'll be fine - come on."

Reluctantly, Ezra stepped down from his perch and joined Vin on the walk to the building. He felt every eye watching him, judging him. Despite his anxiety, he couldn't fight back the grin that came when he Chris walking to the front door coming from the opposite direction. The man was the walking definition of over-protective.

"I knew having Vin pick you up was the only way to get you here on time, assuming of course the truck didn't break down."

"I keep telling everybody, it is a perfectly good truck. Don't understand the problem you all have with it."

"Well, it could be the inordinate amount of duct tape the thing has holding different parts in place." Chris suggested.

"Tell me Mr. Larabee; how long did you wait at the corner in order to be able to casually great us like this?"

Busted, Chris thought. Why did he think he'd be able to fool Ezra on something this basic. He just shrugged sheepishly in response, holding the door open. Ezra took a deep breath and stepped inside.

The world seemed to shift into slow motion at that instant. Heads turned and conversations stopped. Ezra tried to guess how far he could run before anyone caught up to him. He wondered if anyone would try. It took him a moment to realize people were speaking to him.

"Welcome back Agent Standish." "Looking pretty good there Standish." "So glad to see you again." "We're all so grateful for what you did." He must be hallucinating.

"Someone here I want you to meet." Chris's voice broke through his fog. "This is Stephen Taylor. The kid – sorry – the agent who spotted your letter."

"It is a real honour to formally meet you, Agent Standish." The young man was star struck. "I'm, well I guess you could say I'm a bit of a fan."

"The honour is all mine." Ezra corrected. "From what Mr. Larabee has shared with me, it was your observational skills and deductive reasoning spurred them to accelerate the search, allowing them to find me on time. Not only do I owe you my life, but you are responsible for saving the lives that would have been lost in the explosion."

"That's kind of you to say sir, but I really don't deserve any of the credit. All I did was pass along your letter."

"Recognizing the significance of something so apparently insignificant is the hallmark of a good law enforcement officer. Which is why we have a recommendation for special commendation that indicates exactly that." Ezra enjoyed seeing the stunned reaction. "Should you ever have any questions or problems, you make sure to come talk to one of us. Understand?"

"Uh, yes sir. Thanks. I mean, Thank you. Sir. Sirs." They walked away, leaving him standing in shocked disbelief.

"Well," Vin was grinning, "I'd say you made his day. Probably his week. Maybe his month!"

"Nothing less than he deserves for his actions."

"But you refuse to take any credit yourself."

"He stepped above his duty, while I was simply doing my job."

"You put your life on the line Ezra." Vin countered.

"As did he in confronting Mr. Larabee, given his frame of mind at the time."

The elevator reached its destination but before the doors opened Chris hit the stop button. Ezra looked surprised. "Really. I thought such an action was done only on television."

"Nothing wrong with stealing a good idea. I met you downstairs for a reason Ezra. I need to be sure you're really ready to come back."

"We need to be sure." Vin amended.

"As I have no doubt you are aware, the doctor has declared me…"

"Not what we're talking about Ezra, and you know it. I'm gonna say this once, then I promise to not bring it up again unless you do. We need to know you trust us to believe in you. We aren't about to be making that mistake again. Shouldn't have happened the first time. We want you back Ezra. All of us. But I won't let you put your life on the line like that again. Going in alone, no back up, no support system. Not happening. But if you don't have enough faith in us to trust you, this won't work."

Ezra leaned against the back of the elevator. "I have spent the last two weeks giving a great deal of thought to everything happened. Everything. To what you and the others said. To what I said. Hell, to what Chiarelli said. Some of it was reassuring, some unpleasant. Many of the assessments were true, to one degree or another, but there were several falsehoods included. Almost all of it was quite intense. Sorting through it all took considerable time, but yesterday, I reached my conclusion."

"Care to share?" Vin asked with more that a little trepidation.

Ezra moved forward and restarted the elevator, allowing the doors to open. "Yes, I do. We are going to be late for work. And you know how unpleasant Chris can become when that happens."

He smiled and stepped out, back into his world.

 **The End.**

 _Thank you all once again for the wonderful reviews and kind words of support. Such stroking of my ego does wonders to keep my muse alive. Can't believe this was number 20 for me in the M7 universe. If I haven't done so before, my thanks go out to the other writers whose efforts inspired me to publish my own efforts here. Also, a special thanks to whoever it was who initially developed the idea of the ATF universe. Love having two worlds to work with._


End file.
